i89o 
6o3 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
others, but I feel confident my experiments and observa¬ 
tions warrant the belief, I may almost say a demonstra¬ 
tion, of the fact. But to return from this digression. At 
the Station it was found that by the submerged process for 
raising cream almost 20 per cent, by weight, of the total 
milk was separated as cream. With this as a basis, then 
2,000 pounds of milk would yield up 400 pounds of cream, 
and 6,000 pounds of milk,—a year’s product—would yield 
1,200 pounds of cream. 
By analysis, it was found that the milk would contain 
Pounds contained 
in milk. 
Nitrogen. 
Phosphoric acid. 
Potash. 
Lime. 
Magnesia. 
Soda. 
The cream produced 
2,000 lbs. 
6,000 lbs, 
14.0 
42.0 
6. 
IS. 18 
8.88 
10 14 
4.85 
14.55 
.29 
.87 
1.41 
4 28 
from the above milk was found 
to 
contain as follows: 
Pounds contained 
in cream. 
Nitrogen. 
Phosphoric acid 
Potash. 
Lime. 
Magnesia. 
Soda. 
400 lbs. l,200lbs. 
2.12 0.36 
.60 8.02 
.86 1.80 
.44 2.20 
.02 .10 
.88 1.90 
From the above two tables it will be seen that less than 
one sixth as much fertilizing matter is removed from the 
farm by the cream as by the milk. With these figures as 
a basis, the dairyman who sells milk of a quality like that 
analyzed carries away from his farm each year about $9 
worth of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash for each 
cow. On the other hand the farmer who sells cream, re¬ 
taining the skim-milk for home use, carries from his farm 
about $1.30 of fertilizing matter for each cow, annually. 
Besides this there remain 1,600 pounds of skim-milk from 
each ton of milk produced, or 4,800 pounds for the year. 
This skim-milk, if like that analyzed, will be found to 
contain 
Pounds in the sklm- 
xnilk. 
1,600 lbs. 
. 11.88 
4,800 lbs. 
85.61 
. 5.46 
15.16 
. 8.02 
8.34 
. 4.41 
12.35 
.27 
.76 
Soda. 
. 1.03 
2.88 
On the other hand, those dairymen who make butter on 
the farm, feeding all their skim-milk and selling only 
butter, carry away almost no fertilizing matter. The 
amount of nitrogen contained in the butter could hardly 
exceed per annum for each cow 20 cents. Here is one 
source of farm depletion that the farmers of 25 years ago 
did not have to consider; for then the butter was all made 
upon the farm and the skim-milk and butter-milk were 
consumed by animals, and much of this fertilizing matter 
was returned to the soil. A farmer with a herd of 50 cows 
takes each year in the milk alone from his farm, nitrogen, 
phosphoric acid and potash that would cost him in the open 
markets from §400 to $500 per year. If none of this is re¬ 
turned again to the soil, how can we hope for other than 
depletion for our pastures ? With co-operation, when the 
milk is taken to cheese and butter factories the old system 
Is changed, and if we would keep up the fertility of our soil 
we must adopt new and improved methods and again return 
to the fields and pastures at least a part of what is re¬ 
moved each year by the cow. 
Farmers as Surveyors. 
S. H. A., Brookfield, Pa —Will it pay a poor farmer 39 
years of age, who is at present working a rented farm and 
who has a natural inclination for surveying, to purchase a 
surveying outfit and learn surveying ? Where can I pur¬ 
chase an outfit and how much will it cost ? 
ANSWERED BY FRANK HODGMAN, C. E. 
If I were situated as represented by “S. H. A. ” I would 
purchase a surveying outfit, and while not abandoning my 
present business, I would, as rapidly as possible, perfect 
myself in the theory and practice of surveying. For land 
surveying the following outfit is the least that can be got 
along with: A Manual of Land Surveying, the only book 
which will tell the inquirer the things he wants to know ( 
$2.50; a vernier compass, $40 ; one steel measuring tape, 66 
feet long, with handles, $6; one set of 11 marking pins, 
75 cents. Besides these he will want to furnish himself 
with copies of all the field notes he can procure of former 
surveys in the vicinity where he expects to work. There 
are a number of firms who will furnish first-class instru¬ 
ments. W. & L. E. Gurley, of Troy, N. Y., sell their in¬ 
struments a little lower than the other firms and they are 
good and reliable. Surveyors nowadays are called on to 
do other work besides running out boundary lines, and so 
must be something of civil engineers as well, if they would 
meet the demands upon them. They must be prepared to 
lay out drains or street grades, or perhaps to run a line for 
a railroad or take a level for a mill site. To meet such 
calls “S. H. A.,” will want more and better instruments 
and additions to his library. For such work he will want 
a good transit and a level or a transit with leveling attach¬ 
ment. A light transit with level attached which will do 
any kind of work required in ordinary surveying costs 
from $175 upwards. He will want Trautwein’s Pocket-Book 
for Civil Engineers, price $5, and if he does railroad survey¬ 
ing he will want either Shunk’s or Searle’s Field En¬ 
gineer, price $3. He will also want drafting tools such as 
straight edge, scales, triangle and ruling pen, and if he 
gets good articles they will cost from $10 upwards for the 
set. Messrs Keuffel & Esser, of New York, are dealers in 
such supplies. 
City Training for a Country Life. 
IF. D. K., Chicago, III .—My garden is only two-thirds of 
an acre, and is all worked by hand except the plowing in 
the spring, when stable manure is plowed in. The weeds 
are kept down by means of a w r heel hoe, and very few are 
to be seen on the patch. The time I work is in early morning 
and late at night. During the day I am in a city iu an 
office. I am studying the scientific part of farming now, 
and when my little savings shall warrant I intend to 
move to the Pacific coast and locate near some manufac¬ 
turing towu and raise vegetables, and, mayhap, start in 
with a small dairy in connection therewith. I had a taste 
of this work in the South for about two years, and know 
there is no child’s play about it, but plenty of hard work 
for both body and brain. The free library here is giving 
me my reading matter where I am going through such 
works as Norton’s Elements of Agricultural Science and 
works of that ilk, together with the current literature 
found in the agricultural papers. Can The Rural advise 
a different course which would be more profitable ? A 
college course would be preferable, but is out of the ques¬ 
tion, as I have a family to take care of. I can earn $1,200 a 
year in an office, but by and by when I get older should I 
lose my position, I would be unable to compete with the 
younger generation, while on the small 10-acre truck farm 
in a manufacturing section I think I could earn as much 
if not more money and be independent. 
Ans.— Questions like this can never be answered satis¬ 
factorily, because so much depends on the man and his 
family—more upon the family than on the man in most 
cases. It is possible for a man to be thoroughly inde¬ 
pendent on a 10-acre farm. A farm of that size, well 
located in California, would afford a chance equal to that 
found on a 50 acre farm in New Jersey or a 100-acre farm 
in Indiana. But whether that chance could be improved 
or not would depend upon the man, his wife, and his child¬ 
ren. If they are all ready to study, learn and work hard 
and cheerfully, it is safe to believe that they will be happy 
and successful. If a portion of the family are discontented 
and unhappy the chances are that they will be sorry they 
ever left the city. So much for that side of the matter. 
Our friend never can train himself for successful garden 
work in a library. The articles in agricultural books and 
papers are supposed to be addressed to those who are work¬ 
ing in the soil and understand the rudiments of the business 
from actual experience. The instruction at an agricul¬ 
tural college is rightly designed for those who know how 
to mow, hew, plow, or harness and milk. It is evident 
that one can practice these things cheaper on a farm than 
at a college, where work is to be provided for hundreds of 
students. Our friend’s little garden will be of great ser¬ 
vice to him if he uses it as an experiment ground for test¬ 
ing the various propositions which he finds in his books 
and papers. The best possible way for him to learn the 
market gardening business would be to hire out for a year 
to a man like J. M. Smith. By this means he would 
learn the exact difference between gardening as an edu¬ 
cation and gardening as a business, and would also be able 
to know whether a gardener’s life and surroundings are 
congenial for his wife and family. These things must be 
learned some time, by actual experience. There would be 
less risk in learning them before all the savings are in- 
vested 
Fertilizer for Wheat. 
IF. S., Beamsville, Can.— 1. What is an analysis of the 
best fertilizer for fall wheat ? 2. As there is no fertilizer 
attachment to my drill, can I sow the fertilizer broadcast 
and harrow it in with an Acme harrow just before drilling 
the grain ? 
Ans.— 1. We should use m the fall a fertilizer rather low 
in nitrogen and strong in phosphoric acid and potash. 
For example, six per cent, potash, eight per cent, phos¬ 
phoric acid, and two to three per cent, of nitrogen. Then 
in early spring we should sow at the rate of not less than 
100 pounds of nitrate of soda—or its equivalent of blood or 
sulphate of ammonia. Fine raw bone would give the plants 
all the nitrogen they need in the fall. 2. Yes. Fertilizer 
in drills would act more promptly when a small quantity 
is used. 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
J. P. D., Dickey, Idaho. —I have a nice crop of oat hay 
and several parties tell me that if I feed it to my milch 
cows, it will dry them up. Is this true ? 
Ans.—The R. N.-Y. is now feeding oat hay to a cow and 
will continue such feeding as long as the hay lasts. There 
is no perceptible loss in milk; iu fact, the cow is gaining in 
her yield. 
H. B., New Albany, Ind.—l. Is the Eaton Grape less 
subject to rot than the Concord? Is Moore’s Early free 
from rot? 2. Has The Rural tested the Lady Rusk Straw¬ 
berry ? 3. I wish to plant a large quantity of the following 
varieties of plums, as I have a good many trees of my own 
raising: Wolf, Golden Beauty, Moore's Arctic, Marianna 
and Robinson. Would it be better to “ mix ” the varieties 
to insure the proper pollenation, as I see from accounts in 
The Rural that some varieties do not bear well ? At 
what distance apart ought they to be planted ? 4. Would 
it be advisable to put a shovelful of gravel on each joint of 
tile in a heavy clay subsoil ? 
ANS.—1. It is at the Rural Grounds less subject to rot than 
the Concord, though not less than Moore’s Early. 2. Dur¬ 
ing the past season only. We have as yet nothing in par¬ 
ticular to say in its favor. 3. Yes, probably this would 
better insure pollenation. 4. Coarse gravel would serve a 
good purpose—so coarse that there would be no danger of 
its working through the connections. 
M. IF., Omro, IFis.—1. I have just come into possession 
of a small fruit farm. There are about four acres each of 
raspberries and blackberries. The raspberries have been 
cultivated between the rows, hut have not been hoed and 
the rows are full of weeds. The blackberries were hoed and 
a furrow was turned up to the row. I am now cleaning 
out the weeds from among the raspberries. If the old 
canes are left among the Greggs until spring, will doing so 
prevent the canes from being killed back or be any protec¬ 
tion ?—they are tender here and are usually covered. 2. 
How long can they be made to pay without resetting ? 3. 
What is a fair crop ? I have succeeded in raising about 
7,000 quarts of strawberries to the acre, this season, but 
have had no experience with raspberries and blackberries. 
4. In the absence of stable manure or ashes, what fertilizer 
should I use ? Will it pay to buy special " fruit manures? ” 
If so, how much should be used per acre, and how and 
when should it be applied ? The soil is sandy and varies 
from heavy to quite light in character. 
Ans. 1. No, the protection thus afforded need not be 
considered. 2. This differs in different soils and climates. 
At the Rural Grounds we find it advantageous to renew 
every third or fourth year. 3. From 75 to 100 bushels to 
the acre may be considered a fair, average crop, though 
this is often exceeded. 4. We should use muriate of pot¬ 
ash, 200 pounds, and raw-bone flour 400 pounds to the acre— 
this as the lowest quantity. Sow it broadcast in early 
spring. 
J. J., Toronto, Canada. —1. What is the name of the 
plant specimens of which are inclosed? 2. I want to clear off 
a plot now occupied by strawberry plants; can some of each 
variety be safely transplanted from September 5 to 10? 3. 
What is the price of muriate of potash per ton? 4. Where 
can I get a first class potato digger ? 
ANS.—1. We are unable to answer. The withered leaves 
and soft berries do not admit of comparison. 2. Yes. 3. 
Muriate of potash should contain 50 per cent, of actual 
potash. The price of this form is now 4 % cents per pound. 
All fertilizer firms sell it. 4. Either the Pruyn made by 
the Pruyn Digger Company, Hoosick Falls, N. Y., or the 
Hoover made by Hoover and Prout, Avery, Ohio. 
C. L. H., Rock Falls. Ill —1. What is the best time to 
set out cherry trees ? 2. How far apart should the rows 
be ? 3. What are a few of the best varieties ? 4. Can the 
ground be cultivated between the rows without injury to 
the trees ? 5. What are the addresses of reliable nursery¬ 
men who can furnish the trees ? 6. Are Chase Brothers, 
of Rochester, N. Y., growers or jobbers? 
Ans.— 1. We prefer early spring. 2. Standards should 
not be less than 20 feet apart; for Mahaleb 10 feet will 
answer. 3. Black Tartarian, Napoleon Bigarreau, Yellow 
Spanish, Montmorency Ordinaire, Windsor, Tradescant, 
and Blackheart. 4. Yes, if shallow. 5. Storrs & Harrison 
Co., Painesville, O.; F. K. Phoenix, Delavan, Wis.; Albert¬ 
son & Hobbs, Bridgeport, Ind. 6. Both. 
B. M., Milton, Ky. —What is the inclosed insect ? 
Ans.—I t is the bag worm fully illustrated in The R. N.-Y. 
of September 10, 1887. It is now too late to kill them ex¬ 
cept by hand-picking. While they are feeding, Paris- 
green water sprayed upon the plants is effective. As 
likely as not all will have disappeared by next season. 
They come and go, depending upon natural enemies and 
the weather of the cold months. 
H. H. G., Northville, Tenn.—l. Is the Crandall Currant 
any better than the Missouri? 2. Is the Elasagnus longipes 
worthy of cultivation ? 3. Which is the better black rasp¬ 
berry so far as quality or hardiness goes—the Hilborn or the 
Palmer ? 
Ans.— 1. Seedlings of the Missouri vary the same as 
other seedlings vary. The Crandall is not, according to 
some authorities, a single variety but a mixed lot of seed¬ 
lings some of which are better and more productive than 
others. The R. N.-Y.’s specimen has not yet fruited. 
Specimens sent to the office were marvels of productive¬ 
ness. 2. Yes it is. To eat out of hand, the fruit is not 
worth much. It makes an elegant preserve. 3. The Hil¬ 
born would be our choice. 
S. W. B., Georgetown, III. —Will any of The Rural’s 
new wheats be likely to stand the winters in our black 
soils better than the older kinds ? Have any of them 
roots like rye ? Who sells them and at what price for 
this season ? 
ANS. —They have been raised only at the Rural Grounds 
and in central New York where they have proved ex¬ 
tremely hardy. We cannot speak as to their hardiness in 
any other part of the country. We hope our friend will 
plant a plot of each as we have explained. J. M. Thor- 
burn & Co., 15 John Street, N. Y., offer them for sale. 
J. A. P., Coldwater, Mich.—l. Is the rye wheat hybrid 
valuable as a wheat for its flour or simply as an improved 
rye ? 2. Will it do as well to cover the ground with the 
mulch before the plant is up, as it would to wait until the 
ground is frozen ? 
Ans.— 1. It will be valuable, if at all, as a wheat, not as 
a rye. There is no appearance of rye about the two kinds 
now introduced. Those to be introduced in the future 
will show certain resemblances to rye. 2. No, we should, 
by all means wait not only until the plants are up but un¬ 
til the ground is frozen before mulching. 
IF. H., New York City.—l. What is a list of the different 
agricultural experiment stations with their various ad¬ 
dresses ? 2. When and how can cider be made ? 
Ans. —1. We have already printed the list several times. 
Send to Prof. W. O. Atwater, Department of Agriculture, 
Washington, D. C., for a complete list. 2. You can make 
cider now—if you can get any apples. The apples are 
ground and then pressed—cider being nothing but the 
juice of the fruit. Boomer & Boschert, of Syracuse, N. Y., 
make excellent cider-making machinery. Their catalogue 
fully describes the process. 
IF. 6. Beamsville, Canada. —I have been putting’up a 
bank barn, intending the basement for horse and cow 
stables. I read The Rural carefully and am impressed 
with the importance of saving the liquid manure. I find 
the horse manure a good absorbent behind the cows. 
Where the stables are convenient it pays to put it there in 
the absence of something better. What kind of floor 
ought I to put in my basement stable, that will be tight, 
durable, and comfortable, and not too expensive ? 
Ans.—W e do not believe you will be able to find any¬ 
thing more satisfactory than a cement floor, such as was 
described in the last R, N.-Y. 
